Brooks Cornwall County Cross-Country Championships, Newquay Sports Centre 10th November 2013 - Report

There were some quality performances produced by Cornish athletes competing in the 2013 Brooks County Cross Country Championships at Newquay with individual titles spread across the clubs.

Combined with the second Brooks Westward League fixture for the third year, the Senior races, in particular provided a level of competition that was missing when the Championships was a 'stand alone' event and entries have risen as a result. The interest in competing for the County at the South West and National Inter Counties competitions in the New year has also benefitted. The Senior Men's race, run over almost 10Km on a mixture of demanding grassland and multi-level playing fields saw the Cornish athletes well to the fore against some of the best athletes from Devon clubs.

Tony Brewer (Mile High) retained the title he first one last year, 2 minutes faster on a revised course which many said was more demanding. He held off one of the in-form road athletes, Peter Le Grice (Mounts Bay) with the Under 20 Men's Champion, Callum Jones (Cornwall AC) putting daylight between himself and club mate, Dan Rodgers in the final lap. Dan picked up the Bronze medal for the Seniors. Cornwall AC were dominant in the team placings where Colin Snook (5th) and Justin Thomas (7th) completed the winning quartet.

Miranda Heathcote (Newquay & Par) showed the kind of form that has put her into the National veterans team with another outstanding win, also taking Gold for the W40 age group. Naomi Tier (Cornwall) was a clear second, Issey Steele (Cornwall) was third overall to win the Under 20 title. The team position was the closest of the day with one point separating the winners, Cornwall Ac over Newquay & Par.

Both under 17 age groups were competing within this opening race. Sam Lane De Courtin (Tavistock) led until the start of the second lap when the Devon athletes took over. Sam held on to third overall but claimed the Championship title as the first Cornish athlete to cross the line. There was a close tussle between Tess Masselink (Callington School) and Charlotte Cayton-Smith (Cornwall) with Tess easing away in the second half for the Under 17 title.

Frankie Aldred (East Cornwall H) ran away from the rest of the field in the first lap and cruised to the clearest victory of the day in the Under 15 age group. Yoyo Barnsley (Truro High) was equally untroubled in the Girls race although Sian Temple (Tavistock) made her work hard to stay in front. With Cornish Girls taking up the first five places, the County team, along with the Under 13 Boys, should be in the medals at the South West Inter Counties, to be held at Killerton House, near Exeter on January 5th. Cornwall AC took the team medals in both races.

There were good numbers in both Under 13 races and impressive clear wins for Cornish athletes overall. Finn Birnie led home a strong Truro School team for the Championship individual and team victory but should maintain the club lead in the Westward League with Newquay & Par  team mate James Greenwood not too far behind. Elowen Penfold came under pressure from Truro High's Emily Williams but eased to victory over the final quarter to lead the Newquay & Par girls team home to a clear win.

The popular Under 11 'Development' races saw St Petroc's put out strong teams and wins in both races, although the Girls event turned into a short race as they were inadvertantly guided into the finish before completing their first lap. Race favourite Chloe Pettitt was taken by surprise and was unable to catch Ella Henry-Brock. However, she did lead the Newquay & Par girls to the team win. Si-am Juntakereket made sure of the victory and team win for the Bodmin school trio.

Results: 

Senior Men: 1 Tony Brewer (MH);2 Peter Le-Grice (MBH); 3 Dan Rodgers (CAC) - Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 'A' 19; 2 Mile High 42; 3 Cornwall AC 'B' 44 

Veteran Men: M40 Mike Dowrick (CAC); M45 Tony Dunn (CAC); M50 Dave Buzza (CAC); M60 Paul Wright (N&P) 

Senior Women: 1 Miranda Heathcote (N&P); 2 Naomi Tier (CAC); 3 Sharon Coyne (N&P) - Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 11; Newquay & Par AC 12; Cornwall AC 'B' 33 

Veteran Women: M35 Kathryn Burgess (CAC); M40 Heathcote; M45 Coyne; M50 Jenny Nash (ECH) 

Under 20 Men: 1 Callum Jones (CAC); 2 Kieran Rowe (N&P); 3 Thomas Wood (MBH) 

Under 20 Women: 1 Issey Steele (CAC); 2 Amy Sweet (N&P); 3 Dulcie Atkinson (CAC) 

Under 17 men: 1 Sam Lane De Courtin (TAC); 2 Ed Laslett (TS); 3 Jacob Wood (MBH) 

Under 17 Women: Tess Masselink (TAC); 2 Charlotte Cayton-Smith (CAC); 3 Lowenna Hawkey (N&P) Team: 1 Cornwall AC  

Under 15 Boys: 1 FRankie Aldred (ECH); 2 Tom Slattery (CAC); 3 Finn Burford (MBH) Team: Cornwall AC 

Under 15 Girls: 1 Yoyo Barnsley (THS); 2 Sian Temple (TAC); 3 Ellie Ringwood (MBH) - Teams: 1 Cornwall AC 15; 2 Mounts Bay Harriers 27; 3 Newquay & Par AC 34 

Under 13 Boys: 1 Finn Birnie (TS); 2 James Greenwood (N&P); 3 Thomas Fisher (CAC) - Teams: Truro School 12; 2 Cornwall AC 18; Newquay & Par AC 19 

Under 13 Girls: 1 Elowen Penfold (N&P); 2 Emily Williams (THS); 3 Emily Becconsall (TS) - Teams 1 Newquay & Par AC 11; 2 Truro School 31; 3 Newquay & Par AC 'B' 33 

Under 11 Boys: 1 Si-am Juntakereket (StP); 2 Sam Norton (TS); 3 Benjy McCartney (TS) - Teams: 1 St petroc's School 13; 2 Charlestown School 24 

Under 11 Girls: 1 Ella Henry-Brock (StP); 2 Chloe Pettitt (N&P); 3 Daisy Greenwood (N&P) - Teams: 1 Newquay & par AC 13; 2 St Petroc's School 21; St Petroc's School 'B' 45 

Teams will now be selected from these Championships to represent Cornwall in the South West Championships at Bicton Arena in January, followed by the National Inter Counties at Birmingham in March.